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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26457886">Too Good to Be Q</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SignedSealedAndDigitized/pseuds/SignedSealedAndDigitized'>SignedSealedAndDigitized</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:22:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,289</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26457886</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SignedSealedAndDigitized/pseuds/SignedSealedAndDigitized</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You're a fresh grad from the Academy, newly stationed on the Enterprise. Q (among others) takes a liking to you and messes with you in various ways. It's Q's specialty, after all.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Q (Star Trek)/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Your duffel bag collided with your bunk mattress with a soft thud. The room was definitely at least 50% bigger than you were expecting, certainly bigger than your dormitory quarters. After a few minutes of messing with this and that, a half-hearted attempt of trying to make the place feel more like 'home,' you gave up for the moment and headed out into the hall in search of something to eat. </p>
<p>You were fresh out of post-graduate specialist training at the Academy, and ready to put all of the time in the classroom to good use. Hundreds of late nights and years of stuffed schedules later, you'd managed to secure a position on your top-choice ship: the Enterprise. Ten Forward, you'd been told shortly after boarding as you and a couple of other recent transfers to the ship followed your small welcoming committee, was the place to eat and chat. You, of course, had a replicator in your cabin, but didn't want to waste time making sure you'd run into a friendly face every now and again. </p>
<p>The directions you'd been given were highly accurate, and you were at the lounge a few minutes later. You'd seemed to arrive at a fairly busy time- good for making new friends, but perhaps difficult for ensuring a meal along with those new connections. It didn't take long for a couple of young men sitting at the bar to look your way, try to get your attention, the whole standard routine. You rolled your eyes. <i>They're really everywhere, aren't they.</i> Still, you forced a tight smile, not wanting to be impolite, nodding in their direction but continuing on to a small private table near a large window. Someone stopped by to take a drink order nearly immediately. You ordered water. It wasn't exciting, by any means, but it was a more practical choice for making good first impressions. </p>
<p>Many minutes passed without anyone stopping by; no surprise, you were a good people-watcher, but weren't very good at the whole seek-out-new-friends-in-a-very-crowded-room thing. And so you sat, taking a sip every so often and drinking in your fellow crew. Finally, though, a man in a full-coverage visor paused in front of your table.</p>
<p>"New around here?"</p>
<p>You set down your glass.</p>
<p>"Yes, hi. I'm a new tech specialist."</p>
<p>"Oh." He raised his eyebrows in interest. "What kind of tech?"</p>
<p>"Medical, mostly, developing new instruments and so on, but there's always overlap." You sighed and took a drink. "I've spent enough hours staring at circuits to help out with most things. Kind of like a hybrid science officer/engineer. I wish there was some kind of catchy name for it, but I don't think it's a common enough combination." You shrugged. "Oh well."</p>
<p>He laughed. "Good enough. Maybe I'll run into you sometime. Geordi La Forge. I'm down in engineering."</p>
<p>"Pleasure to meet you..." You trailed off. "Alright, now I'm sure you have a rank and I'd rather not look like an idiot, so..?"</p>
<p>"Chief Engineer."</p>
<p>You smirked. "Yeah, see, I would've looked like an idiot. Well, a pleasure to meet you all the same, Chief Engineer La Forge." You gestured at the empty chair across from you "Care to sit?"</p>
<p>"I'd love to, but I did just receive a pressing work call, so..."</p>
<p>You held up a hand. "No need to explain, work first, forever and always. Hopefully I'll see you around!"</p>
<p>He smiled. "Hopefully!" </p>
<p>You watched him go. <i>Well, that was a pretty good start, at least.</i> That had always been the main issue with making new friends; after you got to talking you were perfectly charismatic, could banter with the best of them, but before that you were about as personable as a grey wall unless you tried really hard not to be.</p>
<p>You stayed there, finishing your glass of water, then a refill, then a small plate of marmalade toast (you weren't terribly hungry) and a cup of tea to end it all. You had just finished the toast when someone else arrived to your table, this one with more purpose in her walk. A medical officer, judging by her uniform. You smiled at her and she quickly smiled back.</p>
<p>"I realize you weren't supposed to report to me until tomorrow, but I figured it'd be best to get to know one another a little bit in a more social setting. Dr. Crusher, chief medical officer."</p>
<p>"Of course," you replied, "A pleasure, please sit." She obliged. "Tea?"</p>
<p>"No, thank you. Anyway, I wanted to check on how you'd been getting acclimated, and wanted to know whether you had any questions, that sort of thing. I did also just want to say hi, though." Another smile.</p>
<p><i>Refreshing to see someone so nice in such a high position.</i> "Thank you, it certainly does take some of the edge off." You set down your cup. "Funny, I seem to have a knack for running into important crew members on my first day, I just met Chief Engineer La Forge a couple of minutes ago, totally by chance."</p>
<p>"Ah, see, you're becoming one of the crew already. In terms of your position, you're going to be sort of a shared officer between Commander Riker and myself. You'll be reporting to both of us, one more than the other depending upon your current assignment. We're trying this out, it's kind of an experimental position, after all. If it doesn't work, you'll shift to operating under just one of us." </p>
<p>"Huh, okay." You pursed your lips in thought. "Unusual, I like it! Makes perfect sense though," you took a sip of tea. "The course of study was pretty interdisciplinary, and I'd love to have more experience throughout the ship if that's possible."</p>
<p>"Wonderful. Well-" She stood up. "I'll leave you to it, and I'll see you at 0800."</p>
<p>"Absolutely, see you then."</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>The following morning went off without a hitch for the first couple of hours. Dr. Crusher showed you around the various medical areas of the ship- and you already saw a few areas that could stand to have a few technical improvements. You made sure to make notes of the most pressing jobs in a datapad that you carried with you throughout the tour. After gaining exposure to most of the medical and dentistry labs- the surgical suites would be later- you headed back to sickbay to discuss.</p>
<p>"So I think the best place to start would be the blood analyzer units," you began, reading off of your list on your datapad as Dr. Crusher took a seat at a desk to go over some notes of her own (and input anything of note from your observation list). "There's some new software that could improve the performance of your current models, but I think the best way to go about it would just be making some modifications to the hardware itself." You trailed off as you sensed someone else's presence in the room. "Um..." A man in a command uniform, fairly tall, with dark hair rakishly arranged, stared at you, looking a very confusing mixture of fascinated and bored to tears.</p>
<p>You lowered the datapad. "Dr. Crusher, I can wait if this isn't more pressing. Uh...." You glanced back at the man again; his gaze appeared to have remained fixed on you. "Hello, Commander."</p>
<p>Dr. Crusher furrowed her brows and turned at that. "Hm?" Her eyes widened at once. "Q! What are you doing here?"</p>
<p>He took a few confident paces further into the room. "Oh, just...making the rounds." He smirked, teleported so that he stood directly in front of you. Your eyes widened at that, of course, but otherwise you remained stationary. He laughed through his nose, reached out, tucked a piece of your hair back behind your ear, then placed the hand under your chin, tilting your head up toward him. "So fetching. Aww..." You recoiled as he...Q...turned back to Crusher, and PROMPTLY mussed your hair again. "She new, Doc?"</p>
<p>Crusher rose from her seat and advanced toward him, stern. "Let go of her right now, Q. She has nothing to do with this?"</p>
<p>"Oh, Doc, nothing to do with what?" His smirk deepened into a full-on simper. "You don't know what business I have here."</p>
<p>"I know that it's never good, Q." She maintained her gaze and reached for her commbadge. "Crusher to bridge, Q has entered sickbay. Please have security report as well."</p>
<p>A deep male voice replied in a moment. "Right away, are you alone? Do you know why he's here again? He was only just here."</p>
<p>"No, and I'm not alone, I have the new-"</p>
<p>You didn't hear the rest of what Crusher said as Q cut her off with a roll of his eyes. "Oh, this is terribly boring, isn't it? Why don't we go somewhere-" He placed a hand on your shoulder, snapped his fingers, and you were suddenly in the middle your quarters. "More interesting."</p>
<p>"Um....excuse me?" You brought a hand to your forehead and began to knead it in small circles. "This isn't some sort of coffee-fueled fever dream? Correct me if I'm wrong."</p>
<p>"Such an unimpressive response." He pouted. "No, my dear, you aren't dreaming. I'm disappointed that you would say such a thing. I thought we'd get to know each other somewhere a little more private." He picked up a piece of clothing that you hadn't fully unpacked yet. "Oh là là..."</p>
<p>You snatched it away. "Please stop, I've already had to eliminate enough of my wardrobe for fear of guys being overly-enthusiastic creeps."</p>
<p>He chuckled. "I don't think it was the wardrobe."</p>
<p>"Mmmm." You fake-smiled, tight lipped. "Greeeat. Plus-" You shoved the garment back into your bag. "You said somewhere more interesting, this is just more awkward. And why, exactly, do you think we should 'get to know each other' anyway?"</p>
<p>"Oh, I've been watching for a little while." He flashed to a chair in the corner, appearing draped across it with the precision of a Shakespearean actor. "It's been terribly boring in the Continuum, you see, and it hasn't been quite long enough to bother Jean-Luc again to full effect." He placed his chin in his hand exaggeratedly and sighed. "So... why not make new friends?"</p>
<p>You placed one hand on your hip. "Friends, mm-hm, that's what you call it. You seem just about omnipotent, can't you make friends with whatever you want?"</p>
<p>"Just ABOUT?" He placed a hand on his chest, aghast. "The nerve! I could be at whichever end of the galaxy I so please with the snap of a finger."</p>
<p>You smiled politely as you took a seat at the foot of your bed, but your tone was distinctly frosty. "Neat. Why me, then? I'm boring as just about anything to someone like you."</p>
<p>"Perhaps in most ways, my little spitfire, but not all. The way you...multitask, let's say, is very promising."</p>
<p>"Promising?" You rolled your eyes. "Care to explain?"</p>
<p>"No, no." Q towered his fingers under his chin. "No, not just yet. We'll have to see how the next few visits play out."</p>
<p>"Oh, FEW visits, multiple, that's just lovely. Could you at least try to coordinate them so that you don't get me fired, please?" You began to reach for the bottom hem of your uniform top. </p>
<p>You didn't notice the flicker of overt attraction cross his face as you began pulling the shirt up. "What are you doing?"</p>
<p>"Lying down, I have a headache and I don't want to wrinkle this," you spoke through your shirt as you pulled it over your chest. "If you must stay, be quiet please." You removed the shirt fully and tossed it onto the bed. You turned back to him then, assessed his facial expression. <i>Almost</i> the same as before, but different enough to tell that you had the upper hand now. <i>Interesting that that works on fully omnipotent beings too.</i> you thought to yourself, over-exaggerating 'fully omnipotent.' "And oh," you twisted your face into an expression of mock apology, "sorry, I am keeping the bra on. Just having a quick lie down after all, not going to bed." You beamed. "Hope that's ok." You bent down again, this time to remove your shoes. </p>
<p>As you did, you sensed a change in the energy of the room, not in any particular way, just in the uncanny way that humans seemed to know when they were being watched. Your door hissed open a moment later, and you quickly crossed your arms in front of your bra. "Hi." </p>
<p>You felt your cheeks flush as the blue-eyed Commander's eyes widened. He tried to downplay the fact that he'd glanced at your chest before your face, but it had been more than long enough for you to tell. "I'm Commander Riker, uh-" He averted his gaze again. "A- are you alright?" </p>
<p>"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks, I took care of it." You turned around, letting your arms fall, and reached toward the head of the bed to grab your shirt, and pulled it on before turning around again. "Sorry for the super unprofessional decorum, Commander, but that's a classic routine that, believe it or not, works quite often." You adjusted the shirt one last bit, tugging the bottom so that everything would lie flat, and smiled. "Make them feel so awkward they'd rather be anywhere else."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I must say, Lieutenant, you've certainly made quite the first impression," Riker said as you walked together toward the turbolift. You'd shadow him on the bridge today. "I doubt I'll soon forget it."</p><p>"I'm certainly getting through the high-level introductions early, Commander," you replied. "Though you definitely win the award for first to see me without a shirt." You shot him a mischievous look. "Usually takes at least a few drinks first."</p><p>He smirked. "Given the context, you had your legitimate reasons, and they seem to have worked. I really ought to congratulate you; nobody's gotten rid of Q that quickly before."</p><p>"Oh no?" You rounded the last bend in the hallway and entered the lift, at which point Riker signaled for transport to the bridge and the doors slid closed. "You've met him...uh him? It? Q?"</p><p>"Oh, I absolutely have. In fact, he tried to get me to join the Q Continuum. That's what they collectively call themselves."</p><p>"And they're omnipotent, or at least semi-omnipotent?"</p><p>He nodded. "Absolutely are. You'd shudder to hear some of the havoc Q's caused since we first made contact."</p><p>With that, the lift stopped, and the doors hissed open. </p><p>"Well I'd certainly benefit from some more info if you have the time, Commander. Over dinner later, maybe?" you said with brows raised expectantly as you stepped out onto the bridge. That caught a few looks from the crew stationed throughout the bridge; usually Riker was the one asking the ladies on the ship (and off) to dinner, not the other way around. </p><p>"I'd be delighted," he replied with a nod. </p><p>The crew continued to exchange glances which you quickly challenged with a confident introduction. "Hello, I'm the new medical technologist. Pleasure to meet those of you I haven't yet met, pleasure to see those of you that I have met again." You punctuated the statement with a polite smile. </p><p>You spent most of the remaining day following a few paces behind Commander Riker, listening to orders and info exchanged between the Captain, Riker, and the crew stationed at each of the consoles. This would obviously be the more people-forward portion of your job; as a technological consultant you were told to expect to be called out for away teams now and again, and to provide insight on any matters related to biotechnology, biomechanics, and the like. Riker was expectedly good at providing clear orders, but to your surprise was also quite level-headed and good at listening to the Captain's insights- a welcome change from most of the First Officers you'd encountered during your days with Starfleet. Of course, you'd be lying to say that he wasn't also attractive, tall, strong, and polished- though you thought you certainly had the upper hand on baseline attraction at that point considering your introduction and the interest you detected in his behavior. </p><p>Although you tried your best to avoid stepping on any toes, metaphorically or literally, a few times there was a bit of awkward shuffling to get out of the way. Clearly, Riker wasn't used to being followed around by what was, at the end of the day, a high-level personal assistant. Nor were you used to following someone around; at the academy, you'd spent most of your days in the peaceful solitude of research and development, so you weren't used to so much small-talk and smiling (with your somewhat severe-looking natural expression, the smiling part was a particular challenge to adapt to). </p><p>By listening closely, you learned that the ship was en route to the nearest Starbase, 614, for a couple of hull repairs from a run-in with Romulans that occurred shortly before you'd arrived on the ship, and that you'd be stuck there for a day or two while they were underway. Perfect time to read up on a couple of things for your initial projects and repairs. </p><p>Fortunately, so as to quell any immediate rumors of instantaneous superior officer-subordinate relations, you and Riker agreed to have dinner in Ten Forward. As you sat across from each other intently exchanging questions and answers about the Q over noodles and drinks, a few of the additional crew that you'd met during the day would stop by to greet you or Riker- a few made remarks suggesting that Riker was a bit of a known ladies' man around the ship, which you figured but were happy to have confirmed. </p><p>"Well, gee, Will (you'd agreed to call him Will in social settings at the start of dinner, but would absolutely stick to Commander or Riker during work hours), I've gotta say, I'm a little disappointed nothing more happened when we met." You pursed your lips in a mocking glum gesture, which broke into a laugh when he choked slightly on his drink. </p><p>You adored messing with men as soon as you'd learned how easy it was as a first-year cadet. They were SO easy to fluster if you were remotely up-front about anything remotely sexual, and you loved to exploit that and watch them react for your own amusement. It had, of course, also led to some pretty choice....encounters over the years. Plus, you didn't get out of the lab too much, so you had to take full advantage of your opportunities for fun when they came along. </p><p>"Watch yourself, <em>Lieutenant</em> ," he replied pointedly, though you could tell he was joking by the tone of his voice. You'd definitely make fast friends. You leaned into the bit by rolling your eyes and taking a sip of your drink.</p><p>"Fine, fine."</p><p>"So, if I may be so bold," Riker started after taking a sip of his own drink. "What exactly happened in there? With Q, I mean."</p><p>"Well, he teleported me to my quarters from medical, then claimed his motivation was to 'make new friends' and that my multitasking was promising." You watched Riker's expression and mirrored it with your own tight-lipped smile. "Terrifying, I know. So he stuck around making himself as comfortable as ever, and I figured, well, if we're just making ourselves at home, might as well, y'know, get comfortable." You took another sip. "And then you showed up, at which point I guess Q took off."</p><p>"Oh, tut tut, gossiping already?" </p><p>You didn't turn around; you recognized Q's uniquely infuriating tone already.</p><p>"Hi Q," you replied with a sugary tone, though your expression was anything but.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*shrug* I don't know, man, I wrote this in one sitting.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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